The End of Brangelina

September 21, 2016
By
Law Offices of Korol & Velen

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News of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s divorce sent shockwaves through
the internet when it was announced earlier this week.

The End of Brangelina

While “Brangelina” has not announced anything beyond initial
statements, it appears that Jolie cited “irreconcilable differences”
in the divorce filing and has requested some personal property and physical
custody of their children. She has also requested joint legal custody,
meaning that Pitt would be able to make decisions about their six children:
Maddox, 15; Pax, 12; Zahara, 11; Shiloh, 10; and twins Knox and Vivienne,
8. Pitt would also receive visitation rights.

Pitt released a statement upon the announcement, saying, “I am very
saddened by this, but what matters most now is the well-being of our kids.
I kindly ask the press to give them the space they deserve during this
challenging time.”

Jolie’s lawyer, also released a statement: “This decision was
made for the health of the family. She will not be commenting at this
time, and asks that the family be given their privacy during this difficult
time.”

It is estimated that since the super couple’s marriage in 2014, they
have earned roughly $117.5 million combined. Neither sides have commented
on whether there was a pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreement that will
determine how assets will be divided.

Celebrity Divorce

It makes the news almost every single day: a new celebrity divorce! But
is it true that celebrities get divorced more often? Or is it just that
we hear about it because they’re in the limelight?

Back in the golden era of Hollywood, the term “Hollywood marriage”
meant a high society marriage between celebrities of the film industry.
These marriages were full of glitz and glamour. But in its current incarnation,
the term carries strong negative connotations of a marriage that is of
short duration and ends in either divorce or separation. The negative
view actually transpired fairly early in the film industry, by the 1930’s
it seems the term had already soured.

Influence of the Media

People are often quick to point a finger at the media, which is often quick
to document failed marriages between celebrities, thus, creating a skewed
perspective that “Hollywood marriages” have worse success
rates than marriages out of the spotlight do. Bob Thomas of the Associated
Press remarked in 1972 that media also tends to ignore the celebrity marriages
that actually last. Examples he gave included Bob Hope’s marriage
to Dolores Hope, and Rosalin Russell’s marriage to producer Frederick Brisson.

Faults with Celebrities

Those who don’t blame the media often point to the idea that high
divorce rates among celebrities are caused by faults within Hollywood
as a culture, or by personal faults found in the celebrities themselves.
This view tends to think that weddings are used a publicity stunts and
that celebrity culture is driven by the egotism and immaturity of celebrities.
Additionally, divorce rates are fueled by the high levels of infidelity
and promiscuity. Bee Wilson, from
The Daily Telegraph, wrote “Hollywood marriages” for were often based on the unrealistic
dreams of what she termed “permanent children.” Additionally,
she pointed out, as a counter to her point, that classic Hollywood couples,
like Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart, and Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward,
were exceptions.

Celebrities’ Opinions on Divorce

Meanwhile, it seems the actors and entertainers themselves have varying
opinions on the divorce rate in Hollywood. Anne Baxter once stated that
Hollywood was “the most difficult place in America for marriage”
because of the “terrible extremes of success and failure”
both spouses may face. Some others feel it is due to the magnifying glass
often held to marriages, as was stated in a 1964 interview of Mitzi Gaynor.
“Everything we do is magnified,” she said. In the same interview,
she also concluded that “you have to be a little off-center to get
into this business in the first place.”

Statistics on Divorce Rates

There are often differing schools of thought on who qualifies as a “celebrity.”
A study from Radford University found that the occupations of “dancers
and choreographers” have the highest percent currently divorced,
with “Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers, all
other” still being above average at tenth. “Nursing, psychiatric,
and home health aides” were ninth and “Baggage porters and
concierges” were eleventh. A Forbes article supported this, placing
“professional athletes and entertainers” together and with
a high divorce rate.

Some Notoriously Short Marriages

Though Hollywood has short marriages, the following seem to be known for
being notoriously short:

Britney Spears and Jason Allen Alexander were married in Las Vegas and
annulled 56 hours later.

Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock were married for six months.

Drew Barrymore and Jeremy Thomas were married for 19 days.

Sophia Bush and Chad Michael Murray’s marriage lasted for five months.
They announced their separation in September 2005. Bush petitioned for
an annulment in February 2006, but was not successful. She was instead
granted a divorce in December 2006.

Milla Jovovich and Shawn Andrews were married in 1992. Their marriage was
annulled two months later.

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries were married 72 days before they filed
for divorce.

Potential Reasons

There are other things that factor into a Hollywood divorce, and why it
might seem to be so commonplace; including busy schedules that often mean
spending months away from home, but also a lot, just as in all marriages,
things can get real quick in a marriage. All of a sudden, the literal
starring leading man, can become the spouse next to you with the bad morning
breath and the inability to pick up after himself.

Temptation can also be higher when you’re a celebrity. One of the
job requirements is actually to kiss other actors and actresses. In addition
to this, there are also fans who will willingly throw themselves at their
biggest on-screen crush. When millions of people are telling you they
love you and you’re awesome, it can be hard to think anything less
of yourself, so you might be less inclined to stay with anyone who might
have moments of thinking your stinky shoes are less than awesome.

Divorce Rates in General

The divorce rate is dependent on whether the marriage is a first, second,
or third. The statistical differences are as follows:

For a first marriage the divorce rate is 41% to 50%;

For a second marriage the divorce rate is from 60% to 67%;

For a third marriage the divorce rate is 73% to 74%.

Research also shows that couples that share children also have a slightly
lower rate of breakup as compared to couples without children. Interestingly,
the children of divorced parents’ marriages are 4 times more likely
to end in divorce than children of couples that remain married.

Drop in Divorce Rate

Divorce rates have actually been dropping the last few decades, rather
than what was previously thought. Data indicates that marriages have lasted
longer in the 21st century when compared to the success rate of marriages
that took place in the 1990s. The drop in the divorce rate is also expected
to continue declining as more people take on the newest relationship trend
of just living together like partners without marrying.

Considering Divorce

When people get to saying, “I do,” the last thing they expect
to say is “divorce.” And it’s even harder to consider
hiring a divorce attorney. But marriage, for anyone, whether the average
Joe, or Hollywood’s brightest A-list celebrity, can be really difficult.
Sometimes there are concrete reasons that couples divorce: like infidelity,
but other times, two people just grow apart.

Marriage is Difficult

There are no set guides or rules to a successful marriage. If there was
one set of lessons or rules, it’d be handed out at the alter. Some
couples are able to navigate tough and rough spots, while others find
that the only answer for them is divorce. You can never be completely
sure if you are making the right call when you consider divorce, but there
are some questions that can help you decide if that’s the step you
should take.

Some Divorce Questions that Might Help

Here are some questions to ask yourself when you are considering divorce:

Do I want a divorce or just a better relationship with my spouse?

Have we sought help?

Have we given it our all when we sought help?

Is the strain in our relationship the result of a severe relationship stressor?
(examples of stressors include: unemployment, infertility, infidelity,
or a miscarriage)

Have I looked at how I might be able to contribute or make this a better
situation?

Was this a mistake from the start?

Have we just met a big challenge we are having issues getting through?

Are my standards set impossibly high? This could be for your marriage,
or for your spouse.

Is there someone else?

Do I still love my spouse?

Honest Answers

Only you can answer these questions. Make sure you answer them honestly.
This is crucial to being able to fully evaluate the circumstances from
all sides. Ask them with an open and clear heart during a time when you
have the time to really sit and think about how you’re feeling ad
what your honest answers are. In asking these questions, you might find
you are willing to make some tweaks and adjustments to your feelings,
or even seek outside guidance for your marriage with a relationship therapist.
If you come to the conclusion that divorce is the answer for you an attorney
will be able to guide you in the next steps.

Working with a Divorce Attorney

Divorce is a personal decision and only you can know what will work for
you. And it can be a difficult process, especially when it involves children,
determining spousal support, and dividing marital property. Because of
this, it is advised that you work with a divorce attorney that will help
you come to agreements on all aspects of a marriage. They will be able
to advise you on your state’s specific laws, in addition to your
rights when it comes to retaining custody, or retaining certain property.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.